Golden-crowned Sparrow – Page 3

Gray’s Harbor, WA

May 4, 2010 by John Rakestraw, posted in beyond OR, rarities, seasonal movements

I’ve recently made two trips to Grays Harbor in Washington, once to scout and the other to lead my shorebird class. This estuary is a major staging area for migrating shorebirds in spring.

Marbled Godwit, Dunlin, and Short-billed Dowitcher feeding at Damon Point, near the mouth of the harbor

Short-billed Dowitchers

Don’t neglect to look at all the little brown ducks! This is a King Eider, a rare visitor from Alaska. It is distinguished from Common Eider by the slender bill and the scalloped markings on the sides.

Bowerman Basin is an inlet on the north shore of the harbor. It is the last area to fill during high tides, so shorebirds often congregate here. This is a view from the boardwalk.

Peregrine Falcons are attracted by the large numbers of shorebirds in the harbor.

This is a view of the boardwalk on a Thursday morning.

This is the boardwalk on a Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, birders outnumbered birds by about five to one on this afternoon.

Greater White-fronted Geese

Marsh Wrens are common along the marshy edges of Bowerman Basin.

The willow thickets and woods along the boardwalk attract migrants like this Golden-crowned Sparrow.

Fernhill Wetlands 1/28/10

January 28, 2010January 28, 2010 by John Rakestraw, posted in OR Birding Sites

I enjoyed a quiet walk around the main lake at Fernhill Wetlands (Birding Oregon p. 61). By mid-morning, most of the geese that roost at this site are off feeding elsewhere.

Double-crested Cormorants are commonly seen perched on dead trees and utility poles when they are not fishing. The light breast, neck, and head identify this individual as a young bird. The orange gular pouch is diagnostic in differentiating this species from the other two cormorants found along the Oregon coast.

Several Tundra Swans were lounging in the marsh, always a delight to see. To get an idea of the size of these birds, compare the Cackling Geese and Mallard at the far right of the photo.

Golden-crowned Sparrows are common in the brushy areas. I was pleased that Nala, the Birding Dog, sat still long enough for me to capture this image.

Sparrows

December 7, 2008 by John Rakestraw, posted in identification challenges, OR Birding Sites

I am revving up for my Little Brown Birds class next month, so I spent some time with the sparrow flocks on Sauvie Island (Birding Oregon p.57). A walk down Rentenaar Road revealed five species, three of which sat still long enough to be photographed.

White-crowned Sparrows stand out with their bold head pattern.

white-crownedjuv
Immature White-crowned Sparrows have the same pattern as the adults, but in brown and buff instead of black and white.

Two Golden-crowned Sparrows, immature on the left, adult on the right
song
This Song Sparrow was feeding right at my feet, but insisted on staying in my shadow, thus messing up the lighting in the photo.